The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) issued a design and feasibility Request for Proposal (RFP) for master planning services for the 70-acre campus of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) in South Boston. Proposals from bidders are due back to the Authority on September 20, 2017.

Since opening in 2004, the BCEC has earned a global reputation as one of the top venues in the industry as both planners and convention guests continue to view Boston as a prime destination to bring meetings and events which have generated billions of dollars in economic activity for the City of Boston, the Commonwealth and the region.

“It has been a dynamic and disruptive decade in our industry which has mirrored the dramatic changes that have occurred in South Boston,” said David Gibbons, executive director of the MCCA. “This is an exciting and appropriate time for the Authority to evaluate where we stand in the convention marketplace. We are asking our customers what they need and determining what we can afford in order to position the BCEC for long term success.”

The RFP will task designers to meet the needs of the BCEC’s current and future customers, better integrate the BCEC into the South Boston’s proximate neighborhoods, outline a building program that is financially self-sufficient, innovative and minimizes the impact on the environment in order to enhance the MCCA’s competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving convention marketplace.

“Boston is a premier global destination for business and tourism and the BCEC is a key catalyst to create economic activity in the city and across the region,” said John McDonnell, MCCA chairman. “The time is right to evaluate convention related growth opportunities on the BCEC campus to ensure its future success.”

About the Author

R.V. Baugus is senior editor of IAVM's magazine, Facility Manager. Baugus is an 11-time Quill Award winner from the Dallas chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. He is devoted in his community by serving as a board member of the Irving Schools Foundation and as a deacon at his church.